New Delhi, March 31 (PTI): As India prepares to open up its COVID-19 vaccination drive to people above 45 from April 1, the Centre on Wednesday asked states and union territories to identify low vaccine-coverage pockets, particularly in districts reporting a surge in new infections, and take corrective action.
National Health Authority (NHA) CEO and Empowered Group on COVID Vaccination chairperson Dr R S Sharma and Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a high-level meeting with health secretaries, mission directors of NHM and immunisation officers of all states and UTs during the day, a statement said.
The status and pace of the inoculation drive across the country were reviewed at the meeting held.
Dr Sharma assured that there was no problem in storage and logistics of the vaccines. He re-emphasized that there was no value in conserving vaccines for the second dose and that states must promptly supply vaccines to all government and private hospitals where there is a demand, the statement stated.
Advisory to State and UTs
Vaccination of Health Care Workers (HCWs) & Front Line Workers (FLWs):
• Ensure that only eligible beneficiaries are registered and vaccinated under category of HCW and FLW
• Archive incorrect/duplicate entries on CoWIN platform
• Identify pockets of low vaccination coverage – health facility/professional association/blocks, districts etc., for taking corrective action
• Saturation of vaccination of these groups on priority
Involvement of Private COVID Vaccination Centres (CVC)s
• Conduct regular reviews of vaccinations at Private CVCs with respect to their capacity utilization
• Undertake GIS analysis of CVCs to identify need for additional CVCs within States/UTs
• Address apprehensions of Private CVCs regarding vaccine supply, guidelines etc proactively
Issue of Vaccine Stocks
• There is no sedimentation of vaccine stocks at any level of storage.
• Distribution based on consumption to avoid overstocking as well as under-stocking at Cold Chain Points and CVCs.
• Regular review of vaccine stocks and consumption is undertaken to identify gap areas and address the same.
Others
• Maintain vaccine wastage at less than 1% (present National Wastage Percentage being 6%).
• Regularly review vaccine wastage across all levels to minimize the same.
• Ensure timely utilization of available stocks to avoid expiry of vaccines without usage.
• Timely updating of data of vaccine consumption to be ensured on CoWIN & eVIN portals.
(Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare via PIB India)
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